29 weeks: like 'Spirited Away' pigs

Have you seen the Japanese animated movie, Spirited Away? If you have, you know the part where the parents turn into pigs? Well, that's how I felt this week, like I suddenly turned into a pig different creature!

I'm feeling the 3rd trimester growth. I've been having a lot of breathing issues, especially after meals. I seem to be having a hard time adjusting to the rate at which my belly is expanding. I get cramps in my lower abdominal area when I lie down or move a certain way, and my hip pains are coming back. I'm getting frequent headaches, and my regular 'morning sickness' is maybe getting worse - yes, I'm STILL vomiting... On average, I seem to be bedridden every other day these days. I guess that's still much better than 24/7.

Today is my last day at the Bahamas with my husband. We've been on a full vacation mode since Monday, when we moved to a bigger room with an ocean view. It's been nice, especially because we've had to spend a lot of time inside. Fortunately, I've had one really good day this week - tho the morning was still awful - where I spent the whole afternoon in the sun by the beach. Mostly, I watched Dave swim in the ocean while sitting on a lounge chair, sipping on my virgin pina colada. But I did get to spend some time in the water as well - some in the ocean and mostly in the pool. It felt so good to feel so light and weightless! I'd describe that day, Tuesday, as... absolutely perfect.

Yesterday was another nauseated-and-dizzy-and-stuck-inside day. But hey, that's what room service is for, right? And this is our view right from our bed!

I had a really rough night. But after a really nice nap this morning, today has been one of my better days. After waking up from a nightmare that I slept through my last full day in the Bahamas, we spent some time out in the sun by the beach again. It was a bit too cold to go in the ocean because of the giant clouds that were covering the sun. But now that I'm back in my room to get ready for our next activity (aquarium!), the clouds have disappeared, and the sun is back up! Oh well... I already had my perfect beach day. I'm all good.

We fly back tomorrow, back to reality. In a way, I'm really looking forward to staying put at home and focusing fully on getting ready for this baby. And I think my body's had about enough of traveling for now.

PHOTO: 29 weeks and feeling like a pig different creature. This baby is GROWING and getting so strong! We play music to her sometimes, and I swear she dances to it. :)

28 weeks: 3rd trimester begins in the Bahamas w/ a growth spurt

As I officially enter my 3rd trimester today, I'm in Nassau, Bahamas to attend a film festival. I know that probably sounds only marvelous, but I had actually been dreading it. Jet lagged and sick from the previous trip, I was pretty sure I couldn't handle another travel.

Luckily, I was able to get here somehow - most of it is a blur. Once on the plane, the ride felt a lot shorter than anticipated. I guess a 2.5hr flight feels like nothing compared to a 14hr one. And it's great that I'm in the same time zone.

My husband and I arrived two days ago, and it's only been pleasant so far. Being in a new environment that happens to involve warm temperatures, I've been feeling pretty comfortable. I know the baby is still in my belly, but it feels like we're on our first time vacation as a family of three. It also doesn't hurt that it's beautiful here in Nassau.

As expected, I'm definitely not my original walk-around-all-day-sightseeing self. I get tired easily. And being exhausted for me goes hand in hand with feeling sick that leads to vomiting, so I need to be careful. There are a lot of events I want to attend while I'm here, but I'll have to pace myself. There was a filmmakers' retreat the other day that involved a 40 minute boat ride, which I chose to skip. And there's an opening night party tonight on a yacht... I plan to stop by and reassess, but I'm pretty sure I won't be joining... I don't want to tempt my already on and off nausea.....

I'm starting to understand what women mean when they say they 'feel like a whale,' and it's annoying when I can't put on my wedding ring because my fingers are puffy (it's mostly after I eat some kind of Asian food for dinner the night before). I swear I'm bigger whenever I wake up from sleeping, whether it's overnight or just a short nap. And I'm convinced the little growth spurts make me extra sleepy. Oh, and I get really hot when I sleep - I'm usually the one with layers of clothes on in bed because I get cold easily. I'm experiencing a lot of new things as a pregnant woman.

As uncomfortable as I am, I also recognize how fleeting these moments are. A part of me can't wait until the baby comes out, but most of me wants to savor this experience while it lasts. My every cranky bout ends with some kind of food my husband gets for me, and even the worst of pregnancy sickness eventually tapers off as I'm comforted by my baby's movements. It's such a special time, and I am not going to wish it to go away soon. I'm sure I'll feel differently in 12 weeks, but for now, I want to enjoy the ride. And welcoming my 3rd trimester in the Bahamas with my husband, with whom I plan to take a few extra days off after the festival, seems like the perfect way to celebrate this huge transition into parenthood. I'm always hungry, tired, and/or sick, but all in all, life is good.

PHOTO: 28 weeks pregnant, feeling huge & starting to look it too.